What friends are for
by draurora17
Summary: End of season five. Missing scene and a tiny twist on the last scene. Can be read as Hilson if you really want :


**Disclaimer: I don't own House *sniff* unfortunately. Or Wilson, for that matter.**

**God: Go on...**

**Me: Aww, come on. Do I have to?**

**God: Yes.**

**Me: Fine. I'm not making any money out of this. I don't own any of House, it's characters or anything. Actually, I don't own anything. At all. Happy now?**

**God: That's much better.**

**Me: Hmph.**

**A.N. I hope you like this, it's just a little drabble that I thought up after I watched the end of season five. Yeah ok, we're way behind the Americans. And I don't have the channel that shows the latest episodes. Darn it all. But this little fic is dedicated to my best friend Wini because she LOVES house. This is not meant to be Hilson, but it can be read that way if you like :) Have fun**

**Dray xx**

Cuddy opened the door to Wilson's office. Wilson looked up as House walked in looking guiltier than James had ever seen him. Even more so than when he had filed thru the legs of Wilson's chair. House turned to Cuddy and gave her a look that said 'thanks, I can take it from here.' She nodded mutely and left the two in peace. Wilson could tell that this was serious. He stood and moved around his desk towards House. He saw House take an involuntary step back as if he were being threatened. Wilson was shocked. He sighed.

"Tell me, House."

House sat down on the couch. "I feel like I'm talking to a shrink." But it was a half-hearted attempt at scathing sarcasm. His enthusiasm had gone from his words - the _life_ had gone.

It terrified Wilson.

"I'm listening." He offered gently, sitting on a chair opposite his friend.

House twirled his cane awkwardly and stared at the floor.

"It's bad this time. I... I thought I was clean. I thought I had stopped taking the damn pills."

House went into a rant that sounded much like when a patient had a condition that House could not fathom. It was a puzzle, and House just couldn't for the life of him figure it out.

"I hallucinated... but it felt real. It felt like my life, what I was seeing... no, what I was living..." House trailed off hopelessly. "I was on Vicodin. I thought cuddy was with me, she was helping me. When Amber disappeared..."

Wilson no longer felt that pang of hurt when he heard her name. He supposed he had House's taunts to thank for that. In his own screwed-up way, he had helped him get over her. He had helped Wilson with a lot of things, starting with bailing him out of jail all those years ago, it was just that nobody ever noticed the help under all of the hurt. But now he was listening to his best friend... breaking down.

"But it was a lie. A hallucination. I never stopped taking the pills. I should've seen it coming, even you knew that I would never stop."

"House... what can I do? What do you want me to do?" Wilson so desperately wanted to help him, he wanted to tell him that it would all be alright, that he'd make it all go away, and that house could go back to his old, selfish, teasing, brilliant self. He loved his friend more than anything, even through all of the pain and the insults. And House loved him back, in his own way. They needed each other.

"James." Wilson had never heard House call him that. "Help me." House looked up into Wilson's eyes imploringly. Wilson nearly burst into tears right there, but this was House – he couldn't do that in front of House. He was his last hope, his only support when everything else had come crashing down around him, he just couldn't show that amount of weakness when House was counting on him. He just nodded and stood to get his coat. House got up with some effort and a wince of pain.

"Hey..." Wilson heard and turned back to House. "I'm... I..." House sighed. "I'm sorry."

Wilson knew how hard it was for House to admit this, especially to his closest friend.

"Oh House, you've really made a mess this time haven't you." He said, not unkindly. "Come on, I'll drive you."

They passed Cuddy on the way out. She looked worriedly at them, but nodded.

When they arrived at the hospital, they got out and stood for a moment.

House surveyed it with resignation. "Huh, and I tried so hard to stay out of this place."

"It's not forever, House. And I'll come and visit every day."

"Oh god." House tried a last vague attempt at humour. James chuckled softly.

"There's no escape from me, not even here."

House sighed and picked up his cane and they walked up to the entrance together.

"House." He turned. Wilson looked at him confidently. "You'll be ok." He hugged House. House didn't reciprocate, and Wilson hadn't really expected him to. "I'm always here for you."

"I know."

The doors opened and the nurses were waiting for him. They were smiling kindly, but House looked scared. He took a last look at Wilson before heading towards the dark building.

"Thanks." He muttered quietly. Wilson heard.

A tear, almost invisible, rolled down his cheek as he watched his best friend hobble up the steps to the mental hospital. So it had come to this. Hadn't they always known it would? Well, Wilson would be damned if House was going to stay there his whole life. Wilson would help him pull through no matter what.

After all, that's what friends are for.

**I love this fic, hope you enjoyed it. Review? Pretty please? Tee hee.**

**Dray xx**


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